Article: SOtM sMS-1000 Audiophile Music Server Review

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi kmund - This situation is very different because of the dealer involved. This dealer has violated the CA Terms of Service (section 2 (d)) and been banned from the site. In this thread I will not re-publish previously removed content.

 

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[vortecjr]

Thanks for the response Chris. Don't get me wrong... I very much enjoy the site and for many of your reviews, I have nothing but good words for what you do when I discuss this stuff with folks getting into the computer audio game.

 

I did not see the link at the bottom of the review but have since looked at the PDF manual.

 

Having said this though, I'm wondering if you've polled readership about what they want and whether a write up like this is adequate? Hardware reviews (especially computer hardware) are of amazing standard on the web these days. If you intend to "dumb down" to the lowest common denominator reviews like this with a few pictures and diagrams that look like something from the PR department, I honestly feel that many discerning readers will question the value of the review or at best look elsewhere for detailed opinions. Just look at that PDF manual even! This was NOT written for grandma to set up VortexBox, DLNA, and NFS. Do you think ma & pa are going to know what LMS is, or be able to figure out what FLAC Mirroring is supposed to do!? Also checkout the emptiness that is their FAQ on this product. Non-technically minded folks are going to have big problems with this device!

 

IMO, it is essentially to tell the readers that this server looks like it's based on a single core Atom N270 @1.60. At least that's the grainy picture shown on page 15 of the manual. Anyone who has played with a machine based on this CPU over the last 4 years will know what I'm getting at in terms of performance to expect. I don't think anyone using this machine to do something like LMS with a large library would be impressed with the $2500 purchase (I know, I tried on this CPU with 4G of RAM and still have such a machine sitting gathering dust - even something like an Atom N550 would have been much more appropriate at this price point!)... This is the kind of stuff I hope you would discuss.

 

BTW: Even for an iPhone review, it would be expected to have a picture of what the back looks like and what exactly the jacks and ports look like. Even for the iPhone or iPad, people talk about the processor, so much more essential for this.

 

Notice also that the manufacturer doesn't give a peep about the processor other than that picture I mentioned - not on web site, not in manual. I'm pretty sure they're not proud of this.

 

You went from being disruptive to dumpster diving. I don't have a lot of time, but I am going to go through your posts and make comments because "I" don't want the readers to be misinformed by "you". Above you insinuate that the server is complex and that users will have issues with it. You obviously have no experience with this system and you don't know what your talking about. I have shipped servers with Vortexbox all around the world. I have not had any issue with people of different skill levels enjoying the servers aside from the usual questions and support people need. The readers are actually a lot smarter then you give them credit for. Above you insinuate that the server has some kind of performance issue. You obviously (again) have no experience with this system and as such have no proof to be saying this. I will have you know that the cpu runs at fractional load when playing music. You said, "I'm pretty sure they're not proud of this" referring to server spec. It seems to me that they were proud enough to have it reviewed by Chris and proud of the results...

 

Jesus R

[vortecjr]

Believe it or not Jesus, I did put a lot of thought into the comment... I know people don't like criticism but I still think the comment is quite fair and I responded to Chris as above.

 

As for your "search" on newegg.com. Did you bother looking at actual recent motherboards? Furthermore, did you look at the Atom boards (which as far as I can tell this machine is based on)? You would realize that the miniITX motherboards of the current generation are almost exclusively based on PCI-E. If you look at ncix.com and their current "top 9" selling miniITX Atom boards, as of today, only 1/9 has PCI as the expansion option.

 

Given what I said in my last post to Chris and the implications in this message, the SOtM sMS-1000 *appears* to be based on a previous generation Atom single-core motherboard with PCI expansion slot; therefore a prospective buyer should probably know this kind of information when thinking about what to expect in terms of performance (not to mention price tag). Is this not important information that should be pretty clear in a reasonably detailed review?

 

I can take you to several websites with nothing but mini-itx boards with PCI slots. This pci verses pcie argument is pointless. SOtM has decided to use pci and I support that 100%. PCIe will have a change in the future, but the tX-USB board is here and now and it's a most have on the server!

 

Again you insinuate a performance issue where there is none. Your speculating about something you don't know anything about. I would be willing to give a refund to a customer who felt a unit has a performance issue. Are you willing to put some money on the table anytime a customer is happy with the unit? FYI the mother board used in the server is more expensive compared to the one you propose. So your insinuation above that the price is some how related to the motherboard is wrong.

 

Jesus R

[vortecjr]

Team, reports are coming in that the long press issue in MPaD has been fixed...

 

Jesus R

[AudioDoctor]

Team, reports are coming in that the long press issue in MPaD has been fixed...

 

Jesus R

 

Is there an update available in the App Store?

[ted_b]

Is there an update available in the App Store?

 

Yes, you should have gotten an auto update or at least an update flag. I did; version 1.7.

 

[AudioDoctor]

Yes, you should have gotten an auto update or at least an update flag. I did; version 1.7.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]224[/ATTACH]

 

I went and checked, and there sure was. I downloaded it already, but have not tested it.

[Playhouse]

Is it possible to use the sMS-1000 to stream music from the internet. In particular, I am trying to stream from NPRmusic.com and their first listen series or concert series. There are a number of other sites (spinner.com, rollingstone.com) that allow streaming. I am able to do this with a Mach2Music server but I don't like much else about the server and really don't care for their software.

[vortecjr]

Is it possible to use the sMS-1000 to stream music from the internet. In particular, I am trying to stream from NPRmusic.com and their first listen series or concert series. There are a number of other sites (spinner.com, rollingstone.com) that allow streaming. I am able to do this with a Mach2Music server but I don't like much else about the server and really don't care for their software.

 

I'll look into it for you and let you know what I find out...

 

Jesus R

[vortecjr]

Playhouse, it does not like those sites are supported. Those sites really need you on the webpage to select the content. The server will play internet radios stations...

 

Jesus R

[vortecjr]

Team, as of this morning Vortexbox has been updated to include the latest version of MPD with DSD support for .dsf and .dff file formats per the DoP V1 specification. It requires a change in the MPD config file after the update to enable it for now...

 

Jesus R

[rwwjr44]

Thanks for a good review Chris. I am just getting my footing when it comes to equipment like this STOM unit. I appreciate your review and its lack of computer jargon. I can look those things up later. I am immediately concerned with sound quality, ease of use and whether the device is puts out RFI.

[MikeJazz]

Hi!

Anothere great review (thank you Chris) and an interesting product.

 

I wonder if there is space in the market to something simplier, a cd ripper, that could double also as a good media server, but with no storage!

( It would rip directly to a network place, like a NAS shared folder ) and with no digital or analog outputs...

 

Does this exists? Could it be an interesting proposition to other people like me that already have storage and wish not to duplicated that.

 

The reason I am looking for this is that I use my network to stream and I do not need (and I am not willing to pay) for the extended functionality o media play.

[Moiz Fidelity]

anyone tried playing DSD with the mytek stereo dsd dac or meitner ma-1 DAC with this server?

[ted_b]

anyone tried playing DSD with the mytek stereo dsd dac or meitner ma-1 DAC with this server?

 

Chris's is USB only, so the Mytek would not work as it's USB is not USB Class 2 Linux friendly. The Meitner MA-1 would work, but for DSD the server would need the latest MPD updates to enable DSD playback. I own both DACs and play back DSD beautifully with the Meitner via my Linux server (PK90USB), but not the Mytek. I also have played back DSD via the Sonore-badged eXD DAC.

[The Computer Audiophile]

anyone tried playing DSD with the mytek stereo dsd dac or meitner ma-1 DAC with this server?

 

I can play DSD from the SOtM sMS-1000 to the Meitner over USB. I'm not sure if this is now standard on the server now. Jesus connected to my unit and ran some upgrades then all worked perfect.

[vortecjr]

Chris's is USB only, so the Mytek would not work as it's USB is not USB Class 2 Linux friendly. The Meitner MA-1 would work, but for DSD the server would need the latest MPD updates to enable DSD playback. I own both DACs and play back DSD beautifully with the Meitner via my Linux server (PK90USB), but not the Mytek. I also have played back DSD via the Sonore-badged eXD DAC.

 

Couple of things..

 

The SOtM USB server will play DSD into the Mytek as follows:

1. The SMS-1000U (USB version) will output PCM and DSD via a USB converter into the Mytek. I have it playing DSD here with my SOtM dX-USB-HD converter via both AES/EBU and SPDIF and it sounds great into the Mytek.

 

2. The SMS-1000D (USB/Digital version) will output PCM and DSD via a USB (as described in #1 above) and via it's direct digital outputs. AES/EBU and SPDIF work, but I have not tried the optical output.

 

3. The SMS-1000A (USB/Analog version) will output PCM and DSD via a USB (as described in #1 above).

 

All the SOtM servers will play DSD into the Meitner via USB. FYI All the current Vortexbox based servers support DSD and worse case they just need to be updated via the web GUI. Here is a list compatible DSD devices. BTW There are also a few more in the works...

List of compaitible DSD devices

 

Jesus R

[ted_b]

Jesus, thanks for the update. Yes, I simply meant that the Mytek will not accept DSD from your USB version of the server on its own, unlike the Meitner or eXD. Firewire, AES or SPDIF or add a USB converter.... is another story.

[Moiz Fidelity]

thank you Jesus

[Moiz Fidelity]

I will be testing the DoP protocol with Sotm sms-1000U > Sotm dx-usb-hd w/sCLK-2224 > Mytek stereo 192 DSD DAC this week

[Moiz Fidelity]

Hi

 

How do i use the sms-1000 server with MPAD and ipad wifi, without internet connection, but only connected to the router?

 

With internet connection, the vortebox server is immediately shown on the "discovered players" tab.

 

Disconnecting the internet ( pulling the cat cable out of the socket) and reconnecting the ipad to the router, I get error message that the "internet connection is not detected" and then the ipad won't stay connected on the routers wi-fi channel.

 

Is there a way to change the settings on the IPAD's wi-fi configuration to this specific channel, so it stays connected wireless to the to router and work with the server?

[Moiz Fidelity]

problem fixed, i just had to re-configurate my d-link dir 615 router.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi

 

How do i use the sms-1000 server with MPAD and ipad wifi, without internet connection, but only connected to the router?

 

With internet connection, the vortebox server is immediately shown on the "discovered players" tab.

 

Disconnecting the internet ( pulling the cat cable out of the socket) and reconnecting the ipad to the router, I get error message that the "internet connection is not detected" and then the ipad won't stay connected on the routers wi-fi channel.

 

Is there a way to change the settings on the IPAD's wi-fi configuration to this specific channel, so it stays connected wireless to the to router and work with the server?

[Moiz Fidelity]

So far so good, running d.o.p

 

Sotm sms-1000U > Sotm dx-usb-hd w/sCLK-2224 >:transparent coax cabøe-> Mytek stereo 192 DSD DAC

 

was successful.

 

 

I have 7.5 V linear PSU from Kingrex, anyone else tried something similar it with the SOTM sx-usb-hd?

[Alkan]

I'm using JRiver and my metadata has a huge amount of information. Just to be sure: if I moved to sMS1000, I could use only Artists, Albums and Genres fields? (that's what I saw in PDF file Operating Instructions / LMS - My Music).

[vortecjr]

I'm using JRiver and my metadata has a huge amount of information. Just to be sure: if I moved to sMS1000, I could use only Artists, Albums and Genres fields? (that's what I saw in PDF file Operating Instructions / LMS - My Music).

 

How well it works depends on how well J-River managed the metadata. You should also be able to use the date field and browse the directory structure...

 

Jesus R